Dallas chief wants officers tweeting from crime scenes

Dallas Police Chief David Brown wants police officers to operate with social media in mind

By PoliceOne Staff

DALLAS — Dallas Police Chief David Brown wants police officers to operate with social media in mind, including sending tweets from crime scenes.

"We want officers to be prepared to use social media to speak directly to citizens in the case of major critical incidents, like the bombings in Boston," the department said in a statement told to WFAA.

Division supervisors have been instructed by the department to seek out police who will voluntarily tweet. Officers will also write social media reports from crime scenes.

"To be honest with you, I don't think the city leaders or taxpayers expect us to be tweeting when we should be arresting people," the vice president of the Dallas Police Association, who is currently undercover, said.

The chief is scheduled to unveil his social media strategy later this month.